forgiveness in conversation

side note

I’m taking part in the Writing101 challenge, which means this is a break in what I usually post. Day 7′s challenge is to:

Write a post based on the contrast between two things — whether people, objects, emotions, places, or something else.

Today’s twist: write your post in the form of a dialogue. You can create a strong opposition between the two speakers — a lovers’ quarrel or a fierce political debate, for example. Or you could aim to highlight the difference in tone and style between the two different speakers — your call!

Lately I’ve thought a lot about forgiveness and moving on in life. It translated into the fictional conversation below.

forgiveness in conversation

“You think I should just let it go.”

She looked up from her notebook, blinking twice as if trying to focus her thoughts.

“I should just let it go?”

She thought for a moment, took her time with her answer, but it was too late.

“Do you really think he deserves it? After all he’s done to me?”

She flipped her book over, carefully guarding her place. Her soft lips fell in a frown then opened to say something profound before being interrupted.

“I know, I know!” Hands thrown into the air in frustration. “It’s not about him, it’s about me. Letting go is about me. Finding peace is about me. But what about him? Who holds him accountable? Why should he live his life as though nothing happened?”

She sighed, leaned forward, elbows on her knees, index fingers gently pursed against her lips.

“What about me? l live with this every day. I think about it all the time. I don’t want to think about it all the time. l want to move on, let it go. But isn’t that a betrayal?”

She tilted her head to the side, waiting for recognition to set in.

“That’s the point isn’t it? If I forgive him, I can move on?”

She smiled gently.

“What if I can’t? What if I’m stuck here, remembering and loathing forever? What if I can’t move on?”

She let the silence linger for a moment before picking up her notebook. “I think we’re finished for this week. See you next week.”

How about you?

Have you found it hard to let go of the hurts in your life? Do you think it’s unfair that often the supposed perpetrators don’t feel the same guilt? Let me know in a comment below, or find me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

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6 Comments

One thing that I like about this entry is that we don’t know if the main character is thinking out loud, if she’s responding to what she’s putting into that notebook that we discover at the end or if she’s actually having this conversation with someone and we’re not privy to what the other person involved is saying outside of her reaction.

NICE TOUCH.

The only structural thing that I noticed right out of the gate was this:
“I we’re finished for this week. See you next week.” I assume that a word was missed (not enough to destroy it, but enough to stutter the flow).

Otherwise, this is a nice job.

To answer your questions: one of the difficulties of Being Human is the fact that we can’t feel exactly as someone else might feel even if put in the exact same set of circumstances. We can’t REALLY know if someone that’s done us wrong feels remorse… Maybe, their way isn’t a way that we would understand (vice versa).

The only way that we may get an inkling is through conversation. Unfortunately, we don’t quite get that in a situation where someone’s done us wrong (especially if we or they have moved on after the offending incident).

And, yes… Letting go of some hurts takes a herculean effort, if it can be achieved at all.

Thanks for the typo catch Steve, I fixed the text. It does take a lot to get over perceived or actual wrongs against us. I’ve met people who are wonderful, to find out that they have people in their lives who are hurt, and it got me wondering about whether or not I could forgive those who hurt me in my life. Sometimes, as you say, it take a herculean effort.